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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27207334">Attention</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/benevolent_bear/pseuds/benevolent_bear'>benevolent_bear</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dream Team - Fandom, Dreamwastaken, GeorgeNotFound - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Sad GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Soft Boys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:33:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,210</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27207334</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/benevolent_bear/pseuds/benevolent_bear</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>All that George longs for is a bit of attention but can he actually handle it when Clay gives him that attention?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>236</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Attention</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this for Henry's Dragon because I got bored hahah.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wanting someone so devotedly sounds so selfish but sometimes we can't help but long for someone. We want someone to be there for us like no one else was, no matter the circumstance. George used to think that he was selfish for wanting him, wanting Clay, but then he realised it wasn't a want, it was a need. He needs him to be there for him, with him, because his attention is like nothing else he had ever experienced. It’s the one thing that doesn’t make him feel worthless. Unfortunately, Clay doesn't seem to need him, no one does, no one even wants him. So George feels stuck, alone, never moving forward only backwards. Here George sits, alone, unwanted whilst watching those needed by others need in return. That’s when George sees him, surrounded by people who love him, feeling as if Clay will never notice him. A sigh escapes his lips as he watches Clay revelling in the attention. A shaky hand runs through his chocolate locks as George slides from his spot atop the brick wall and landing on his feet with a loud thump. No heads turn to see what the noise was. Even when he makes a loud noise no one seems to notices. George walks past crowds, invisible as always, into the school building heading into his first lesson. </p><p><br/>The bell rang just as George took a step into the crowded room. George kept his head down, knowing no one would have looked up or even noticed his presence. Except for the same boy who has been pestering him since he moved here.</p><p>"George! Hi!" Clay exclaimed once he saw the shorter boy. He gave the obnoxiously loud boy a small wave before sliding into his seat across the room. The teacher strutted into the room and spoke with a booming voice.</p><p>"Good morning students! Today we are starting our project, I want you all to work with a different person today. So I’ve written up pairs on the board, please move across the room to sit with them.” George groaned quietly as he read the board, seeing that Clay’s name was written next to his own. "Right now the project is on Shakespeare so get to work with your partner and discuss some ideas." Clay traversed the room and pulled up his chair next to George’s desk. </p><p><br/>"What are we doing?" George asks quietly, having not been in the last lesson due to a therapy session. </p><p><br/>"Modernising part of one of Shakespeare's plays." Clay explained, a small smile on his lips, his soft-looking lips. <em>Geez</em>, George thought, <em>I need to stop thinking about him like that. It won’t happen. </em></p><p>"Can we do Hamlet?" George questions shyly, afraid of being told no. Hamlet was his favourite Shakespearean play, he recalled fondly of when his mother used to read it to him. </p><p>"Yeah, that's my favourite Shakespearean play!" Clay agreed, excitement evident in his voice. "We are going have to work on this out of school." Clay pointed out, still smiling brightly at George. </p><p>"Okay, we can come to mine. If you are late out of school I'll start walking." George informed Clay, pointing his finger at him with his lips pursed. </p><p>"Yeah, that's cool!" Clay agreed, his smile still never ceasing.<br/>-------</p><p>"George!" Clay's voice calls out from behind George as he begins walking home from the school gates. Shit, He thought, I forgot about the project. His feet stop on the path, bringing George to a standstill as he waits for the younger boy to catch up. When Clay reaches him he had already begun to apologise for being late. </p><p>"How was your day? I hope it was good." Clay asked sounding genuinely concerned.  </p><p>"Stop," George whined, feeling uncomfortable. </p><p>"Stop what?" Clay asks, face scrunching up adorably in confusion. </p><p>"Acting like you care and giving me attention." George huffed, folding his arms across his chest. </p><p>"What?! Why?" George risked a look at Clay’s face and could see the shock and hurt in his expression, it ached his heart.  </p><p>"Because I like it!" George exclaims in anger, sadness evident in his voice. "I don't deserve the attention." My voice quietened as I feel a lump in my throat begin to form as tears swell in the corners of his eyes. </p><p>"George you deserve the world, please don’t think you don’t. You are honestly so perfect. Even if I wanted to stop giving you attention I couldn't. I can’t walk away from you because I’m drawn to you George. Whenever I see you everything seems to fall into place." Clay grabs at George’s shoulders, pulling him to a stop. </p><p>"C-clay, I need to tell you something. But let's get to mine first." Clay immediately begins walking again, tugging George by the arm. A huff passes from George’s parted lips as he speeds up in an attempt to keep up with Clay. </p><p>"Clay! this is my house!" Goerge calls out to the boy who had continued to walk past his home. Clay turns around, an embarrassed look on his face as he walks back towards George’s house. He sits down on the sofa and George nervously joins him on the other end of the couch. </p><p>"Can you tell me what’s wrong now?" Clay questions with a concerned expression. George sits up straight but still avoids looking Clay in the eyes, feeling awkward. </p><p>"It kind of started the second year of high school. I used to be the outgoing kid with a funny accent but suddenly people just stopped talking to me. I lost all of my friends as they found better ones and I was just left by myself. I was never bullied or anything, no one even noticed me enough for that. I was abandoned by everyone I loved, even all of my family disappeared for work or college and I was left alone." George looks down at his fingers, fiddling with them nervously. </p><p>"They didn't abandon you, people just get busy Georg. They probably didn't intentionally leave you." Clay reasoned, reaching out for George’s hand. </p><p>"Bullshit." George tore his hand away, turning his body away from Clay and worrying his bottom lip. Clay sighs, feeling defeated, radiating sympathy for the shorter boy.</p><p>“Come on, lets work on the project.” Clay patted George’s knee in hopes of lightening the mood. It worked, the two of them began working on their project.<br/>------<br/>It was Friday and Clay was back around George’s again and trying to convince him yet again that people did actually like him. They were in his bedroom, sat on his bed playing videogames when Clay had decided to get George to open up again. </p><p>"George seriously, they all like you. I talked to Nick and Bad at school about you and they said they were worried about talking to you because you shut them out. Not the other way around." Clay attempted to reason, placing his hand softly on George’s shoulder. </p><p>"They are lying! I've never done anything to them and they just turned away from me. Never looking at me or even acknowledging my presence!" George huffs feeling frustrated, shrugging Clay’s hand off of his shoulder. </p><p>"I don't know how you can't see everyone's eyes are on you because of how gorgeous you are. Whenever you walk in a room everyone falls silent. Everyone thinks you’re absolutely beautiful. If you gave people a chance they would all fall hopelessly for you." Clay tries to convince George, holding on to his arm. He snorts at his comment, still not believing Clay. </p><p>"You're just saying that because you're my friend." George slouches down in his seat on the couch, folding his arms with a pout. </p><p>"So you admit we are friends?" Clay grins, jabbing his finger into George’s side.</p><p>George rolls his eyes, an undeniable fondness behind the action. "I've told you things no one but my mom knows so yes, we are friends." He chuckles quietly, shaking his head. </p><p>"But you know I want to be more than that." As the word fell from Clay’s lips George felt his cheeks get warmer and the words got caught up in his throat. </p><p>"C-clay! I-i I'm n-not!-" He stuttered, cheeks inflamed a bright red.</p><p>"I know, we will wait until you're ready." Clay pats George on the head smiling understandably, ruffling his hair slightly as he did so. </p><p>"Thank you." George smiled at Clay, flattening his mussed up hair. They resumed their playing of videogames but the whole time George’s mind was elsewhere, he couldn’t help but think that maybe Clay was right. In the second year of High School, he had been in a relationship with a man who didn’t really treat him well. Constantly manipulating him in order to get what he wanted. George’s self-esteem had plummeted to rock bottom and every day since every day had felt like a chore. George hadn’t wanted to get hurt again and began distrusting people he would have once called randomly in the middle of the night. He missed them. <br/>--------<br/>When Monday came around George had let Clay convince him to try and talk to some people again. Which is how he ended up being pulled through the courtyard towards a familiar group of people. George could see the excitement radiating off of Clay and didn’t have the heart to disappoint him despite the desperate thumping in his chest. Clay came to a stop in front of a group of people sat on the grass. </p><p>“Hey, guys!” Clay greeted, bringing the attention to them. George shifted awkwardly as many sets of eyes land on him. </p><p>“Gogy?” A familiar voice questioned disbelievingly. </p><p>“Hey, snapmap.” George gave a small wave, feeling awkward. Nick jumped up and pulled George into a tight hug. George’s shoulders relax and his arms wrap around his old best friend. </p><p>“I’ve missed you dumbass. We need to talk about what the fucks happened.” Nick held George at arms lengths, shaking him by his shoulders. George nodded, feeling a bit ashamed. “Can’t believe it took this loser to get through to you.” Clay yelled out a mock offended ‘hey’ whilst swatting at Nick, causing the boy to drop his hands off of George’s shoulders. </p><p>“I mean if George is here maybe we’ll stop hearing about how pretty he is!” Karl yelled out whilst snickering. George flushed and looked to Clay who had a similar flush on his own cheeks. </p><p>“Nick I hate your boyfriend.” Clay states, his expression blank except for the blush high on his face. </p><p>“No one cares Clay. Now sit down and shut up, Tommy was being a loud little shit before you got here.” Wilbur calls out from next to the aforementioned blonde, the blondes feet kicked up on Tubbo’s lap. The two freshmen were best friends and quickly taken in by Wilbur. George sat down next to Nick and Clay, nerves still in his system but for once feeling a little happy. They hadn’t pushed him away like he had expected them to. <br/>-------<br/>It was three months later and George had been happier than he had ever been. Nick and George were back to being as close as they were two years prior but this time Clay was with them. The three of them were almost inseparable. Nick would constantly whine about the third wheeling which always caused George to blush and Clay to wheeze with laughter. George’s feelings for Clay were undeniable, they always had been. Clay never pushed George to admit how he felt and nor did Clay ever seem to give up hope. It made George’s heart swell at the thought. </p><p>George sat on the floor of Clay’s bedroom, a pizza box between them as they chatted away. Clay was laughing brightly at something George had said, causing his stomach to twist in uncomfortable knots. Clay’s eyes were creased in the corners, a light pink dusting his freckled cheeks with his head tossed back in pure delight. He was truly beautiful.</p><p>“I’m in love with you,” George confessed before he could stop himself. Clay immediately stopped laughing, his eyes shooting open and landing on George in shock. </p><p>“Are you sure?” Clay’s words are barely above a whisper as if he thinks being any louder would scare George away. </p><p>“Yeah, definitely.” George smiles shyly, nibbling at his bottom lip.</p><p>“Holy shit. I love you too.” Clay’s face split open into a bright smile, joy covering his entire face. He opens his arms, inviting George in for a hug. <br/>George blushed, pushing the pizza box out of the way in order to crawl into Clay’s open arms. George nuzzled his face into the crook of Clay’s neck, feeling safe. Clay presses a kiss to the top of George’s head as George inhales the intoxicating scent of Clay’s cologne. The two boys remained there for a long while, just simply enjoying the presence of each other. Clay's arms were warm and he felt as if he was drowning in them, never noticing their size difference more than he did now. George wasn't sure he wanted to leave Clay's arms ever again and by the way that Clay was holding him it seemed as if the taller boy shared the same sentiment. George felt safe again, he'll never stop loving Clay for that.   </p>
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